Waste water generated by a household is typically classified as either black water or gray water. The former refers to water drained from toilets, dishwashers and garbage disposals and directed to a septic or sewage system. This water normally contains high counts of bacteria and is unsuitable for recycling. On the other hand, gray water, which is drained from bathtubs, showers, clothes washers and sinks, generally contains relatively small amounts of soap or detergent. As a result, gray waste water is usually safe to reuse, particularly in toilets and for outdoor irrigation.
Mcintosh, U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,493, discloses a known system for reclaiming and reusing gray water. Therein the waste water is actively pumped through a filter and to a holding tank, where chlorine is added. The water is then pumped as needed to a toilet tank and/or a hose bib. Unfortunately, the Mcintosh system exhibits a number of disadvantages. For example, it is unduly complex and requires both a sump and a pump to actively deliver the gray water through the filter and to the holding tank. Moreover, each gray water appliance is provided with its own solenoid driven valve for selectively discharging the water to either a gray water reclamation line or a sewer line. All of this equipment renders the system complex, expensive and quite susceptible to failure resulting from lightning strikes and other hazards. Furthermore, the chlorine that is added to the water is expensive, toxic and environmentally undesirable.